diff --git a/lib/vfs/direntry.c b/lib/vfs/direntry.c
index 5607987dc..01515f699 100644
--- a/lib/vfs/direntry.c
+++ b/lib/vfs/direntry.c
@@ -1338,7 +1338,8 @@ vfs_s_retrieve_file (struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_inode *ino)
     /* If you want reget, you'll have to open file with O_LINEAR */
     off_t total = 0;
     char buffer[8192];
-    int handle, n;
+    int handle;
+    ssize_t n;
     off_t stat_size = ino->st.st_size;
     vfs_file_handler_t fh;
     vfs_path_t *tmp_vpath;
diff --git a/lib/vfs/xdirentry.h b/lib/vfs/xdirentry.h
index 7b06deab9..1ef473a9a 100644
--- a/lib/vfs/xdirentry.h
+++ b/lib/vfs/xdirentry.h
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ struct vfs_s_subclass
     int (*file_store) (struct vfs_class * me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, char *path, char *localname);
 
     int (*linear_start) (struct vfs_class * me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, off_t from);
-    int (*linear_read) (struct vfs_class * me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, void *buf, size_t len);
+    ssize_t (*linear_read) (struct vfs_class * me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, void *buf, size_t len);
     void (*linear_close) (struct vfs_class * me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/vfs/fish/fish.c b/src/vfs/fish/fish.c
index c90481051..5c466d5af 100644
--- a/src/vfs/fish/fish.c
+++ b/src/vfs/fish/fish.c
@@ -1057,14 +1057,13 @@ fish_linear_abort (struct vfs_class *me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh)
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 fish_linear_read (struct vfs_class *me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, void *buf, size_t len)
 {
     fish_fh_data_t *fish = (fish_fh_data_t *) fh->data;
     struct vfs_s_super *super = FH_SUPER;
     ssize_t n = 0;
 
-
     len = MIN ((size_t) (fish->total - fish->got), len);
     tty_disable_interrupt_key ();
     while (len != 0 && ((n = read (SUP->sockr, buf, len)) < 0))
diff --git a/src/vfs/ftpfs/ftpfs.c b/src/vfs/ftpfs/ftpfs.c
index df5be441b..690d89f27 100644
--- a/src/vfs/ftpfs/ftpfs.c
+++ b/src/vfs/ftpfs/ftpfs.c
@@ -1896,7 +1896,7 @@ ftpfs_linear_start (struct vfs_class *me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, off_t offset)
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-static int
+static ssize_t
 ftpfs_linear_read (struct vfs_class *me, vfs_file_handler_t * fh, void *buf, size_t len)
 {
     ssize_t n;